Early Years – Shipwreck…

Having set the physical scene this is perhaps an opportune point to go back in time and cover a little local folklore and history in which undoubtedly our forebears played a part. Today it can seem a little romantic, but those times were hard, and necessity had to prevail and could be worthwhile when coupled with some enterprise and audacity. Nowadays there is a wealth of information, with more coming to light, of what really went on with shipwreck and smuggling along the Dorset coast in the late 1700s and early 1800s, and we can but touch upon the subject.

Many tales of smuggling and shipwrecks and the activities of the Press Gang hale from the Napoleonic Wars. Life was hard, and it must certainly have been true that a shipwreck on Chesil Beach or on the rocky shores would have been welcome for the opportunities they presented in looting. As far back as 1305 and 1311 there were complaints that ships driven by bad weather, or lured on the rocks by false lights were stripped of their cargoes by the Portlanders and the ships themselves broken and cut to pieces.

This salvaged timber was especially valuable for building or firewood as the Island is virtually treeless due to its exposure to constant sea winds. The alternative was to bring it from the mainland by boat and which, of course, was difficult. In this regard it is fascinating to note that when the WWII war damage to 85 Easton was finally repaired it was found that the main timbers in the roof appeared to be from the mast of a ship, still in good condition. As the house was then in 1945 reputed to be about 200 years old, being one of the first houses in Easton, one wonders about its history.

A prayer of the Portlanders has been recorded which expresses their sentiments about this;

“Blow wind, Rise say Ship ashore before day.”

Expectant eyes were cast out to sea to observe what ships were there, and how they were faring. And should one be in difficulty it would soon be known, efforts would undoubtedly have been made to save the crew and ship, but once ashore she was fair game. Not all wrecks are ancient history for we recall in the 1930s seeing the hull of a wrecked ship well up Chesil Beach, and more recently vessels ashore on the rocks below West Cliff.